4 Myths Holding You Back From Getting Into Cybersecurity
Do not let these misconceptions stop you from starting that Cybersecurity career!
“I am interested in Cybersecurity, but I know zilch about coding or hacking.”
This is a sentence I hear way too often when helping people get into Cybersecurity
There is this weird perception that to get into cybersecurity, you should be like the lead character from Mr. Robot or be a coding whiz
This was maybe true 25 years ago but no longer today
Cybersecurity is no longer something that the network guy does with the firewall but a billion-dollar industry with board-level visibility
It has enough variety to accommodate a huge variety of skill sets
In this article, I want to break down this and other common myths that stop people from starting their careers in Cybersecurity
Let’s go!
1 — You need to be technical
Do not get me wrong .. technical skills are good, but you can get started with a fundamental understanding of how the internet and computers work.
Many tasks in Cybersecurity do not require you to be a technical wiz, such as the following:
Governance and Compliance — Where you need to assess compliance with regulatory standards.
Security Policy and Standards — Documentation and Quality checks.
Security Awareness — The key skill here is creating engaging content around cybersecurity
Vendor Risk Management — Track and monitor your vendor's risk posture
Cyber Insurance — Check which cyber risks are being covered in insurance and evaluate them
The key is to identify what career path you want to take and then double down on getting the relevant skills.
Technical skills are great but not the only requirement!
2 — You need to know coding
I have no idea why people think this is a requirement
Again .. having a good understanding of coding can be a massive advantage, but most cybersecurity roles do not require it
I have been in Cybersecurity for more than 20 years and can count only a handful of times when I needed to deep-dive into code
For many positions .. skills like analytical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills FAR outweigh the ability to write code.
Coding is not some magic gateway to Cybersecurity
Again .. think about which role you are interested in and then create a career roadmap to get there
You can check out the story of one such person below:
3 —Becoming A CISO Is The Only Way To Succeed
Most people believe that becoming a CISO is how to gauge success in Cybersecurity
However, becoming a CISO should not be the end goal.
Cybersecurity has many paths, from threat intelligence to cybersecurity law and beyond, each with its challenges and rewards.
The CISO role can be a stress-filled nightmare for most people and far from what you expected
I wrote about this detail just recently
4 — You Cannot Get A Job Without Certifications
Please do not get me wrong .. Certifications are awesome
They are a great way to baseline your knowledge and skills
They might even be essential for moving up the ladder and understanding concepts like risk management in detail
But Skills >>>> Certifications every time.
Combine skills WITH certs to make yourself stand out in the market!
Find out what certification aligns with your expertise AND build skills at the same time.
Read more about this below: